Keep your lawn pristine and free from crabgrass!
Crabgrass is the number one plant pest to lawns across Maryland and beyond. Due to various aspects of the plant, it can be challenging to rid it from the lawn, but one can implement several practices to prevent its spread in the first place. For a lush, green lawn void of pesky crabgrass, read on to find out how it spreads, how to prevent it, and how to eliminate it.
What Is Crabgrass?
A person can identify crabgrass by its broad, lime-green leaves that stick out from its radial stems. Crabgrass is an annual plant that sprouts in June and seeds the same year. It is a fantastic plant for soil retention, as its hundreds of thousands of seeds fall into weak and barren areas. However, its spread is the last thing homeowners want. Its low stature makes it difficult or impossible to mow, and trying can mow good grass down to an unhealthy level. The reason crabgrass is so bad for the lawn is simply that it is ugly and hard to control.
Crabgrass Prevention
Good lawn care habits keep crabgrass at bay. Practices include mowing height, edge-trimming height, and watering. In the warmer months, grass thrives when it is kept at a longer length. The recommended cutting height is three inches. The length gives the leaves more surface to soak in the sun and protect against soil erosion. When trimming the edges of your lawn, avoid shaving the grass down too much also, lest weeds and crabgrass flourish. Water your lawn 2-3 times a week for around twenty minutes in the early morning. Longer, less-frequent draughts are healthier.
Crabgrass Removal
As for removing crabgrass from your lawn, herbicide is the answer. There are two kinds to kill it, one for pre-emergent seeds and one for existing plants. With pre-emergent herbicides, you must time the application before the seeds germinate, which can happen throughout the summer. The earliest time to do it is when the ground gets above 55 degrees Fahrenheit in March or April. Meanwhile, be careful when choosing a post-emergent herbicide. Make sure it is selective, so it will only kill the target plant and not everything around it. For professional services, call Edward’s Lawn & Home in Maryland!
Choose Edwards Lawn & Home
For the past thirteen years, Edwards Lawn and Home has been offering premier residential and commercial services to improve your property all year long. The options are endless from a new patio to a backyard fire pit, let the winners of Angie’s List Super Service Aware serve you! If you’re interested in finding out more about our services or getting a quote, you can contact us online or give us a call at 443-341-6539. For more information about our services or DIY tips and tricks follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Houzz.